Before you start using Debian User Forums, please observe the following guidelines:

Do not cross post. Posting the same topic in more than one category only creates confusion and makes it hard to keep track on the various replies. Double posts will be locked.

Be descriptive. Use a meaningful headline and try to make your question as clear as possible. Include as much information as possible such as what Debian branch you are using, error messages, what you did that may have caused the problem etc. This greatly increase the chances of getting useful help.

Be patient. Not everyone knows everything and not everyone is online all the time. If you don't get a reply chances are that no one is online that knows the answer at the moment. Do not 'bump' your questions just because there have been a few hours with no reply.

Be polite. Remember that the skill level of the forum members ranges from the absolute beginner to the very seasoned Linux user and what might be obvious to you might be very hard to understand for others. It's OK to point someone to other resources or suggest means of learning but do so politely; 'RTFM' has no place on this board.

Do not engage in flame wars. Threads that evolve into flaming will be locked. If you feel attacked; be the better person and ignore it. The moderators are not omnipresent, so if you feel some actions need to be taken please e-mail the moderator team on team@forums.debian.net

Stay on topic. Sometimes threads morph into something completely off topic, this is unavoidable when a bunch of people communicate. However, try to limit the off topic discussions to the off topic category. Long off topic discussions in other categories might get moved or locked.Discussions in "Off topic" should still be in the spirit of this board, that is related to Linux/ Computers/ Software etc. Political, religious or racial discussions do not belong on this board.Avoid 'thread hijacking'. Unless your question is directly related to the thread's topic, start a new one.

As a rule we do not accept commercial content. If you'd like to offer your Debian related services for money or you are offering a paid job please e-mail team@forums.debian.net first and it will be considered on a case by case basis.

The language on this board is primarily English but we do not exclude people with little or no English. When replying to posts in other languages please include an English translation. It's a good idea to help non-English speakers find resources in their language.A forum is a means of written communication so make sure your posts are as readable as possible. That means: Use capital letters and punctuation, and use the formatting features of the forum wisely in order to make your post attractive. Try to avoid 'l33t speak', 'chatspeak,' and 'SMS language'. There is no need to apologize for poor English skills. We have users from all over the world and trying your best is more than adequate.

Moderators might move your thread to a more suitable category (for instance from 'General Discussion' to 'General Questions'). This is no cause for alarm and a shadow topic, linked directly to the new location, will always be left at the original location.

If you feel like your post/ thread has been locked, edited or even removed in error please contact the moderator team via e-mail at team@forums.debian.net.